Respirator



June 30, 1942. H. KRAFT 2,287,939

RESPIRATOR Filed Sept. 21, 1959 INVENTQR Herman, T5 Kraft ATTORNEYS stitutions.

- relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Patented June so, 1942 UNITED STATES OFFICE RESPIRATOR Herman T. Kraft, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The General Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio 4 Claims.

7 This invention relates to respirators and the like, and has particular reference to an edge sealing strip or device for use in connection with respirators of the torso actuating type.

Respirators are commonly used to induce artificial respiration and are customarily included in equipment of modern hospitals and similar inrespirator may be used on a number of different persons, it is very important that respirators which are applied against or over the body of a patient be provided with edge sealing means that will effect an air or gas tight seal on stout patients as well as lean ones. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a respirator having edge sealing means that is extremely flexible in use and will permit the respirator to be used effectively on patients of dificrent size.

Another object is to provide a respirator having an edge sealing strip which may be adjusted or regulated to provide a relatively hard or relatively soft cushion for supporting the cuirass.

A more specific object is to provide a rubber edge sealing strip for respirators and the likewhich includes a pneumatic tubular structure that serves as a cushion for the edge of the respirator.

A still further object is to provide a respirator which is simple in design and construction and Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of suitable embodiments of the invention made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the respirator with parts removed;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the respirator with parts removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view with parts removed, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig.2;-

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the construction of the rubber edge sealing strip; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail similar to Fig. 4

illustrating an edge sealing strip of modified construction.

Briefly, the invention comprises a relatively rigid or stiff cuirass, having secured along the edge thereof a rubber sealing strip which comprises a flexible tube having means for attaching the same to the cuirass. In describing the invention in detail reference is made to the drawing by numerals of reference which indicate like Because of the fact that a single parts throughout the several views.

The cuirass is indicated at l and may be made of any suitable stiff material capable of being deformed, such as sheet metal, fibre, Bakelite, Celluloid, Lumirith (a thermo-plastic transparent stifi material), or similar plastic material. For example, it has been found that the sheet steel front fender of an automobile may be utilized in the construction of the cuirass. In such case the rounded or concavo-convex portion of the fender is utilized and cut out so that it will fit over the chest or torso of the patients who are to use the device. In order to secure the respirator to the patient, a strap 2 is provided which is connected to one side of the cuirass l by rivets 3 and at its free end is provided with narrow portions 4 which are receivedin buckles 5 on the ends of short straps 6 riveted or otherwise secured to the cuirass I on the opposite side of the latter from the point of attachment of the rivets 3.

Air is alternately withdrawn from and allowed to enter the cuirass when the same is in place on the patient through a suitable flexible conduit 1 which is connected to the cuirass by a fitting indicated at 8. The pump or actuating mechanism for controlling the alternations of pressure and vacuum may be of any suitable construction,

several devices being now readily available on the market.

The edge sealing device comprises a rubber holding strip 9 which is approximately wedge shaped in cross section and has a deep groove I0 formed along its narrow edge II to receive relatively thin edge 12 of the stiff cuirass I. A thin walled flexible rubber tube 15 is secured to theholding strip 9 along broad or wide edge l6 of the latter. The bond between the flexible tube 15 and the holding strip may be effected by vulcanization, or a suitable adhesion agent such as rubber cement may be employed. It is, of course, contemplated that the tube and strip may be formed integral by extrusion. As shown in Fig. 4, both the inside and outside diameters of the tube I5 are,several times greater than the width of the broad attaching edge 16 of the holding strip. Preferably, the outside diameter of the tube is of the order of at least twice, preferably three times, the width of the edge of the holding strip to which the tube is attached. This arrangement enables the tube to be subjected to greater deformation in accommodating itself to the. body of the patient. Thus the respirator is very comfortable and does not become objectionably burdensome. Furthermore, the walls of the tube I5 are very thin, the inside diameter of the It is to be noted that the wall thickness is much less than the thickness of the holding strip 9.

As shown in the drawing, the flexible tube I is preferably continuous around the entire peripheral edge of the cuirass. Thus the tube forms a closed chamber I'I into which air may be introduced or from which air may be removed, in order to vary the stifiness of the tube and its air sealing characteristics. For this purpose a conventional valve is attached to the tube l5 of the edge sealing strip, preferably at the portion of the sealing strip which is normally disposed under the chin and over the breast of the wearer. This valve is indicated at I8 and is preferably constructed primarily of rubber to avoid possible injury to the patient.

A sealing flap or apron I8 is provided along the tube I5 and extends tangentially therefrom. As

shown in Fig. 4, portion of the flap or apron,

which is adhesively or otherwise secured to the tube I5, is spaced from the edge I5 of the holding strip 9 so that it is both an inside wall portion 2I and an outside wall portion-22 of the tube I5 that separates the sealing flap I9 from the holding strip. Preferably, however, the outside portion 22 of the tube is greater in circumferential extent than the inside portion 2I, so that when the respirator is in use a shoulder portion 23 of the fiap I9 is positively pressed against the body of the patient. A suitable location for the sealing flap I9 has been found to'be one in which the edge 20 of the sealing fiap is so spaced from the edge I6 of the holding strip that the inside surface or portion 2| of the tube comprises approximately one-third of the exposed surface of the tube I5, while the outside portion 22 comprises about two-thirds of the exposed portion of the tube. That is to say, the flap or apron I9 is spaced about one-third of the way around the tube I5 from the holding strip 9.

Although the apron or flap I9 may be formed of the same material as the strip 9 and tube I5, for example, when the entire sealing strip is extruded, it is preferable that the fiap or apron be formed of a relatively softer rubber, such, for example, as sponge rubber. Sponge rubber has been found to be more acceptable to the patients because it may be more comfortably worn and it also exhibits increased air sealing characteristics over ordinary solid rubber. By disposing the fiap I9 tangentially with respect to the tube I5, inside surface 24 01 the flap is normally disposed fiatwise against the patients body, thus distributing the weight of the respirator and increasing the comfort with which the same may be worn, as well as adding to the air sealing capacity of the edging strip. It is to be noted, however, that the shoulder 23 of the soft sponge rubber flap is normally disposed between the patient, whose form .is indicated at 25, so that the entire cushioning U tube'being many times the thickness of the walls.

great yieldability, however, minimizes the localizationof pressure on the patient so that the entire respirator is in eifect buoyed up and is supported by a complete circumferential air cushion which extends around the entire periphery of the cuirass. The thin walled tube 28 is connected to the cuirass I by means of a holding strip 29 that is provided with a deep groove 30 to receive the edge I2 of the cuirass. Flange portions 3| and 32 are formed along the holding strip 23 in divergent relation with respect to one another. The tube 28 is received against the flanges 3I and 32, being secured thereto by vulcanization or a suitable adhesion. Thus in the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, thetubular cushion has a thickened portion formed by the flanges 3I and 32 together with the wall of the tube 28 which extends a considerable distance around the circumference of the tube, preferably about one-fourth of the circumference as shown. Although the flap or apron I9 may be omitted from the device, particularly when using the extremely thin walled tube, it may be added to advantage, preferably being spaced about one-third of the distance effect obtained by the greater deformability of the tube I 5 may be utilized.

' In the modified construction of the edge sealwhen inflated in the manner described in connection with the tube I5, readily maintains its shape until subjected to localized pressure. Its

around the circumference of the tubefrom the region of the cuirass edge I2 so as to provide inside portion 33 and outside portion 34 of the tube 28, which permit great deformation of the sealing strip in the manner previously described.

The rubber sealing or edging strip may be secured along the edge I2 of the cuirass by being vulcanized thereto or by other customary methods. One suitable method is illustrated in Fig. 5 which shows a strip of surgeon's tape 3'! folded about the edge I2 of the cuirass with the tacky or treated side innermost so as to firmly adhere to the material of the cuirass. The outside surface of the tape 3'! is then treated or coated with a suitable adhesion agent such as rubber cement, after which the holding strip 9 or 29, as the case may be, is applied. This construction firmly secures the holding strip since the tacky surface of the surgeon's tape forms a strong bond with the relatively smooth surface of the cuirass edge, while the rubber cement is capable of forming a strong bond with the cloth of the surgeon's tape.

The present invention thus provides a unitary rubber sealing strip for respirators which includes a large diameter thin walled and flexible rubber tube having secured or formed therealong a holding strip and a tangentially extending flap or apron which is spaced from the holding strip so that the device may be subjected to great deformation in adapting itself to the wearer of'the respirator.

The amount of air introduced into the chamber II through the valve I8 determines in a large measure the fit of the respirator around the patients body. While for some applications it may be desirable to infiatethe tube I5 to a pressure somewhat above atmospheric, it has been found that if the tube is slightly deflated so as to be in a partially collapsed condition, that the cuirass fits comfortably over and around the patients body and a snug air-tight seal is effected by the rubber sealing strip.

As previously mentioned, it is important that devices of thecharacter described be suitable for use on patients that differ from one another in their height, weight and general contours. It is in this respect that the respirator of the present invention has been found to be extremely satisfactory. Because of the shape of the cuirass I, depending side portions 35 and 36 may be deflected or bent toward or away from one another,

so that the fitting of the respirator is snug and comfortable. Furthermore, because of the irregular contour of the edge 12 of the cuirass, clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, localized regions or zones thereof may be bent or deformed to suit particular abnormalities or irregularities in the shape of the patient.

Lumirith, the feature of deformability is present to a greater degree than when using a sheet metal. For example, when it is desired to alter the shape of the respirator, the same may be immersed in a hot water or steam bath or held under a hot water faucet so as to heat the plastic material, permitting the same to be bent or deformed by hand to the desired shape. When the contours of the respirator have been modified or changed as desired, the same is then subjected to a cold temperature, such as being held under a cold water faucet, so that the deformability of the material of the cuirass is reduced and its shape is retained. The transparent characteristics of certain plastics such as Lumirith will be found particularly advantageous when used in respirators of this character since the physician observe the breathing action.

When the cuirass I is formed of a thermoplastic material such as The principles of the present invention may be ible rubber flap disposed along another longitudinally extending portion of the tube, said longitudinal portions of the tube being circumferentially spaced with one of the intervening surface portions of the tube greater than the other.

3. A rubber edge sealing strip for respirators comprising a thin walled flexible rubber tube having attaching means disposed along a longitudinally extending portion thereof, and a flexible rubber flap of rubber soften than the rubber of the tube and of greater thickness than the walls of the tube disposed along another longi-' tudinally extending portion of the tube, said longitudinal portions of the tube being circumferentially spaced with one of the intervening surface portions of the tube greater than the other.

4. A rubber edge sealing strip for respirators comprising a thin walled flexible rubber tube having attaching means disposed along a longitudinally extending portion thereof, and a flexible rubber flap attached along one edge to another longitudinally extending portion of the tube to extend tangentially therefrom, said longitudinal portions of the tube being circumferentially spaced with one of the intervening surface portions of greater circumferential extent than the other, and the flap disposed to overlie the surface portion of greater circumferential extent.

HERMAN 'r. KRAFT. 

